Happy Friday! Tis’ the season to roast vegetables and today is no exception. Lately I have been turning into a huge brussel sprout fan and I am loving it. Many years have passed in my life where I never tried a brussel sprout let alone thought about roasting it in the oven.

Well my friends that has all changed. I am on the brussel sprout bandwagon like society is onto chia seeds. Yep that is right. I heart brussels sprouts. Oh wow, did I just say that?

Ok, enough banter, let’s move on. This recipe doesn’t get much easier than this – 6 ingredients and you have a side dish that will make you happy.

Ingredients

• Brussel Sprouts, halved
• Drizzle of Olive oil
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• Pine nuts
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out the brussel sprouts, season with salt and pepper and drizzle the olive oil.
3. Toss and roast
4. In a small dry pan over medium heat, add the pine nuts to toast them for extra flavor
5. After the brussels are tender ( about 30 minutes) remove from the oven, add the grated Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.  Toss together.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  When you are buying brussel sprouts, make sure you hunt for the firm ones with a tight outer leave.  I find these are the freshest and best for roasting.

A simple dish that goes with anything.  It works as a side dish, an evening snack or for some – maybe even a main course.

Have a great Friday wherever you may be and a nice weekend.

Take care

zesty

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Make this for thanksgiving!

Ok sorry for starting off a little on the blunt side but seriously – you need to make this for your family and yourself.  As a special request post today I am bringing you the brussel sprout recipe from our thanksgiving feast that so many of you emailed about and are dying to try.

Not everyone loves brussel sprouts, not everyone is a big fan of plums but put these two together with the crunch of a pine nut and the sweetness of a maple glaze and I honestly think nothing else matters.  The texture and flavor profile in this dish is stunning.  Can you believe I said stunning?  Yeah I guess you are right…. I am a bit of a flake at times so it is not that uncommon.

Enough horsing around here, I am going to give you the recipe, show you a couple of pictures and almost twist your arm to try this recipe.  You will NOT be disappointed.  I Promise.

Ingredients

• Brussel sprouts – 1 1/2 pounds, similar sizes if able.
• Olive oil – 2 Tbsp.
• Salt – 1/2 Tsp.
• Fresh ground black pepper – 1 Tsp.
• Cayenne pepper, ground, 1/4 Tsp.
• Plums – 3/4 lb,
• 4 Tsp. pine nuts
• 1/3 Cup maple syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Clean, prep and half brussel sprouts. Remove loose leaves, cut through stem to half larger sprouts, and cut a cross into the stem of the larger sprouts. This should allow the different part of the sprouts to cook at the same rate.
3. Coat well with olive oil then add salt as well as pepper and cayenne as desired.
4. Roast in preheated oven for about15 minutes. This will vary slightly with the average size of the sprouts.
5. During the initial roasting slice ripe plums into wedges and remove pits. Try to keep the wedges about the same size of the brussel sprouts.
6. Toast pine nuts in a dry pan till slightly brown and aromatic.
7. Reserve 1 tsp pine nuts and grind or mash the remaining into a paste. A mechanical girder will work, but avoid a used coffee grinder. A mortar and pestle will work best.
8. After 15 minutes add to the plums to the partially cooked brussel sprouts and mix before returning to the oven for a further 15 minutes.
9. Heat the maple syrup to a slow boils and add the paste of pine nuts and mix.
10. Pour syrup over roasted plums and sprouts and mix well.
11. Serve warm
12. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Proportions can be changed or altered with ease depending on what is available and if you do not have maple you could substitute honey and the same goes for the pine nuts.  Use what you have on hand.

So there you have it… a must try with brussel sprouts for your next holiday dinner, your next week night dinner, maybe a snack on Saturday night, or just something you make and let me know how it turned out.  I am excited for you guys to try this because I am confident you will love it.  Have a great weekend and a super Friday.  Talk to you on Monday.

Take care

zesty

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Well you know that I have somewhat of an addiction to honey…. right?  It is OK though.  It does make everything taste slightly better and is a great natural sweetener.  For today’s recipe, it really could not get any easier.  I start by taking a very healthy vegetable which really needs some flavor help if you ask me and that is what we do.

These simple ingredients and the power of the oven translate these bland boring brussel sprouts into the star of the meal.

Wanna hear how?

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts ( left whole)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. Honey
• 1 Tsp. Crushed Garlic
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. In a bowl, add Brussels sprouts and coat with olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread Brussels sprouts out evenly to prepare for roasting.
4. Roast until almost done, about 20-25 minutes.  With 5 minutes left to roast add the pine nuts on the pan as well to brown
5. In a small sauce pan, add vegetable stock, garlic, balsamic and bring to a gentle boil.  Then turn to simmer and let reduce.  Add honey and continue to let it reduce for 10-15 minutes.
6. Once the Brussels sprouts are fully roasted, remove the pan from the oven and pour the honey balsamic mixture on top.  Toss to coat evenly and serve.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: The use of vegetable stock is a great way to infuse flavor as well as create the balancing liquid for the sauce.  If you do not have vegetable stock you could simply use water or even apple juice.  Apple juice would add another layer of flavor to the sprouts but still should work.

So Monday is here and another week set to begin.  It is very cold here this morning -19 in fact with the windchill which I am not so pleased about.  I will have to cover up the lid and keep warm.  Have a super start to your week and I will see you Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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As I write this post – I am pretty excited.  I just got back from the house and I am so impressed at the progress the builders made with the upstairs baseboard.  Great work guys!  Also, we received a delivery for the post in the middle of the main floor and we had to check it out.  It looks awesome!  I am getting excited -  can you tell?  OK  sorry for getting off topic.

On To The Food

Who loves Pesto? Pick me pick me!  I am a huge fan of pesto, however I never made sundried tomato pesto before.  My only experience has been with the traditional basil pesto.   On Sunday I thought I would give this a try and see how it turned out.  It was a huge success!  I found it a little strong but I really enjoyed the flavor overall.

Below are the simple ingredients and steps to make it happen.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup pine nuts
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Small bunch parsley
• 1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Puree everything together in a food processor until smooth.
2. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I like to let the pesto sit out for about 20-30 minutes to let the flavors come together. If you are putting the pesto on pasta there is no need to reheat it – just toss it in with the warm noodles and serve.  It is also great as a sandwich condiment.

I am just watching an awesome episode of Criminal Minds.  I am addicted to that show.  What is your favorite TV show?

I hope you have a great Wednesday.  I will talk to you tomorrow and share with you a quick dish using the pesto.

Take care

zesty

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This a guest post by Eat Live Travel Write, enjoy!

Eating and drinking were definite priorities on a two-week meander through Tuscany and Umbria in the summer of 2005.  One of our most memorable meals was at “Pane e vino”, a small restaurant in Todi, tucked off the tourist trail in a small alley.  I chose a simple pasta dish that night, infused with lemon and garlic, so utterly delicious in its simplicity that we thought it would be easy to replicate a couple of nights later.  We failed miserably!  On returning home, I wrote to Gourmet magazine to see if they could obtain the recipe for me.

A few months later, I received the recipe as sent to Gourmet by the restaurant in charming, broken and very literally translated English.  Their recipe calls for called fresh taglierini, but I like it best with spaghettini.  The recipe that follows, whilst inspired by the original, is the result of much experimenting.  Enjoy!

Serves 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 medium-sized fresh tomatoes, diced (or 1 796ml can diced tomatoes)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• zest (!) and juice of 2 lemons
• 6 tablespoons pine nuts
• 200g spaghettini (dry)
• 150g feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Method

1. Sauté the tomatoes in the oil over medium flame in a shallow pan.  When they begin to soften, add the garlic.
2. Sauté a further 2-3 minutes, add pepper to taste.  Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and pine nuts and reduce heat to very low flame.
3. Cook the spaghettini in boiling salted water until al dente (approximately 10 minutes or according to directions on package).  Drain well and add to the tomato sauce mixture.
4. Combine pasta and sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Just before serving, add the crumbled feta and chopped basil.

Note:

* I have also added some shrimp (about 20-30 peeled raw shrimp) to this dish with great success – you would add them into the sauce with the tomatoes
* Chopped spinach is an option too (about 2 cups) which would be added with the pasta to the sauce so that it is still slightly crunchy when served.

Wine suggestion:
With this dish, I would suggest a white wine – a soave or an Orvieto.  If you prefer a red, a Chianti Riserva (older traditional-style)

Visit Eat Live Travel Write to see more of her recipes.

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Homemade Basil Pesto

Happy Tuesday!  I am somewhat excited as I get to share with you a super simple homemade Pesto recipe that you have to try!  Usually I find myself focusing on one or two foods that I find in the grocery store that either happen to look great or on sale.  I then try to wrap my brain around ways to use those ingredients to make 2 or 3 dishes until the ingredient is gone.

Just last night I found some great looking basil which is a perfect excuse to use my Cusinart Food Processor.  I am a big fan, as you may already know, of using all the food in the fridge and trying to minimize waste as much as possible.  Although, I have been known to toss some spoiled food out at times but it really “ROTS” me.

I have been meaning to share this versatile basil pesto recipe with you for some time now.  As you may know, my favorite herb is “BASIL” – I absolutely love it.  This basil pesto is  a treat whether you use it as a sandwich spread, pizza sauce, on top of  pasta or even smear it on your favorite meat, chicken or fish.  You will be pleasantly surprised with the flavor it packs.

The recipe below assumes you have a food processor.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Parmesan cheese ( cut into 1/2 inch pieces )
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Method

1. With the machine running, drop the cheese down the feed tube and chop about 10 seconds.  Remove and reserve.









2. Chop Garlic, then add basil and pulse about 20 times ( Scrape down sides).





3. With the machine running, drizzle Olive Oil down the tube and process until mixed. (Scrape down Sides)
4. Add pine nuts, reserved cheese and salt and pulse until nuts are chopped.
5. Let sit and store in a jar



6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I know for me it is sometimes hard to get fresh basil this time of year so when I find a really great crop I tend to buy a lot of it and freeze it. You can see a great set of instructions over at Kayln’s kitchen with more details on how to do this.

I look forward to sharing with you in the near future a few different ways I like to use basil pesto. Stay tuned and by all means you know I want to hear about your favorite ways to use basil pesto.  Have a great day and keep smiling.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Wednesday!  I have been meaning to make this dish so I could share it with you and I finally did last night.

Stir fry broccoli with bacon, fresh Parmesan cheese topped with pine nuts and a splash of lemon.  A great side dish or a fine meal on its own. You should totally make this for dinner tonight. It’s fast, delicious, and only dirties one pan (two, if you decide to make some rice, which I think you should).

Now aside from frying the bacon – this dish takes all of 4 minutes so it is a great when you are in a pinch or simply trying to incorporate some green vegetables into the meal plan.

What I love about this recipe is how two fairly basic ingredients are combined with a few flavors to bring you an incredible result.  The idea is to pan fry the broccoli with the bacon fat and lemon juice (don’t leave out that final squeeze – it’s key).

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Broccoli
• 8 Slices of Bacon (Chopped)
• 2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese (Shaved)
• 1 Garlic Clove
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Juice of a Lemon

Method

1. Chop and prepare the bacon.





2. Cook on medium heat until bacon is crispy, drain on a paper towel.



3. Remove excess grease in pan from bacon except about a tablespoon.
4. Turn to high heat and add broccoli.



5. Cook quickly and constantly moving the broccoli, add garlic, red pepper flakes, pine nuts and salt.





6. After 2 minutes, add bacon back in the pan and stir fry for one more minute.
7. Freshly squeeze the lemon over the broccoli.
8. Remove from heat, plate it and top with shaved fresh Parmesan cheese.



9. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When cooking green vegetables, always add a bit of salt once placed in the heat to keep the sharp green color. Also in this dish above – a little splash of water will help the steaming process and the broccoli to cook evenly and avoid burning.

Question of the Day: What is you favorite Green Vegetable?

What are your thoughts on the inauguration yesterday?  I thought it was very memorable with an excellent speech and overall a very positive day for my friends south of the border.

Take care

zesty

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Monday is back!  I hope you had a great weekend.  I had a busy yet productive couple days.  I was able to complete some tasks that have been on the to do list for a very long time.  As well, I spent some quality time with the family which is always great.

Todays recipe is killer easy and super tasty – well if you like spinach of course.  I am a huge fan of spinach so when I make this dish, there is rarely any leftovers.  This recipe also allows you to be flexible - use what ingredients you have on hand, mix and match flavors and enjoy the freshness.

Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup low fat cream
• 2 cloves garlic crushed and made into paste
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• Handful of chopped fresh basil
• Salt

Method

1. Preheat pan and add olive oil.
2. Add spinach and allow to wilt down. Stirring for 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, cayenne, black pepper. Stir for 2 minutes.
4. Add low fat cream -stir and leave until bubbly.
5. Top with pine nuts, green onion and fresh basil.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: To make garlic paste, add a bit of salt to your cutting board and crush the clove of garlic on top.  Then using your knife smear the garlic back and forth into the salt mixture.  The salt will help form a paste by breaking down the garlic and you are ready to go.

So there you have it.  A simple dish packed with flavor that goes great with pretty much anything.  You can also toss some protein in there and have it as a main dish. I hope you enjoy the spinach!

So as many of you know and for those who don’t, my goal for zestycook is to offer readers simple, quick and tasty recipes that can be made with regular ingredients.  In the near future I am putting together a “THINK ZESTY” brochure/page that will help you with tips and tricks on how to be more efficient and healthy in the kitchen.

For me, I find it hardest to eat healthy on the weekend.  Do you have a time of the week where you get in a rut and tend to order in or go for fast food?  Let me know – I hope I’m not the only one!

Have a great Monday and don’t forget to get your name in for the giveaway.  Link back to it on your blog for an extra entry or subscribe to zesty.

Take care

zesty

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